One Last Bun
by Dark Qiviut
Summary: There was an agreement to share meals tonight, but that was all thrown out the window when one pork bun remained... *One-shot complete*


_**Disclaimer:**__ Yu-Gi-Oh GX is copyrighted by Kazuki Takahashi and is produced by 4Kids Entertainment, Shonen Jump, and Konami. The fic is all I own, and no profit is being distributed in any way through this story.

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**Author's Note:**__ This story is inspired after one of the short clips from the new video game, "Sonic Unleashed."_

_**Warnings:**__ This fic contains elements that are usually seen in American cartoons and not in anime. In addition, I poke fun at the canon and the general fandom's uptight, canon-purist attitude. Viewer discretion for canon purists is advised.  
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_**One Last Bun**

Usually, those in Obelisk Blue, Ra Yellow, and Slifer Red ate in the own cafeterias.

Not today.

This time, every resident in Duel Academy occupied one cafeteria: students, teachers, and heads of the Academy alike. Unlike all the other times (well, not always), there was no separation. Everyone was equal. Discrimination and prejudice lacked. No one from Obelisk Blue called Slifers "slackers," and – thank heavens, and with permission – girls were allowed to temporarily crash into the Slifer Red and Ra Yellow dorms and test out the conditions within—

"HEY! No girls in Ra or Slifer allowed!"

Not today, boys. The rules have fortunately changed… You will have to bunk in another room for now. By the way, make sure there are only boys in there, because the last thing (or should I say, "first"?) the school needs is to have someone see the opposite gender in the nude and cause an embarrassing laugh riot.

And, no, Seto, I'm your boss now…until the story ends, sadly.

Now, back to the story.

_Anyway_, everyone attended inside one cafeteria today. No one knew why, but they accepted it. By the way, a couple of former Duel Academy students decided to attend, too. Well, it was big news surrounding Domino City, New York, and Mr. Seto Kaiba had a headache from the ensuing chaos.

Mokuba?

Adult or not, he couldn't care less. He had a Sonic video game to play—

What was the time?

Six-thirty P.M.

Hey! That was dinnertime!

So, let us see what was going on inside the cafeteria…

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Well, how about this?

There was an abundance of tables. There were so many, it would be nearly impossible to count them all without walking around for hours. But despite there being hundreds of tables, if someone wanted one for him or herself, then no can do: Around and within the cafeteria hung this sign:

"A MINIMUM OF **2** PEOPLE PER TABLE"

…Well, at least the lonely sourpusses would have company.

"Sweet!" an exclamation burst out through the crowd.

Sitting in one table was Jaden and Syrus, and they were looking at their open menus.

"Hey, Sy, look at this!"

"What this?" asked Syrus.

"Down here, in the appetizers. Jumbo fried shrimp!"

The cyan-haired teenager peaked in the upper-left-hand corner of his menu and noticed the appetizers. They ranged from eggrolls, to fried shrimp, fried calamari, vegetable tempura, and cold sesame noodles.

"And the good news is we don't have to pay!" Jaden cheered.

Syrus had to agree.

"So, Jaden, what will you have?"

Jaden hummed questioningly and looked back down in his menu.

"I don't know, Sy," he replied. "They all look so good!"

He licked his hungry lips.

"Especially the fried shrimp."

The Winged Kuriboh on his shoulder cooed in agreement.

"Ya really love your fried shrimp, don't ya?" quipped Syrus.

"Why not? I'd have it every day of the week if I wanted to!" replied Jaden enthusiastically. "It's a shame the other dorms don't serve it as often as Slifer."

"Well, why not try something else tonight?"

"Do I?" he whined.

"I mean, look at the other appetizers. Is there anything else you might wanna try?"

Another glance at the menu, and Jaden rubbed his pointy, itchy nose.

"Y'know, Syrus, the sesame noodles look quite good," he said. "Maybe you're right. I'll hold off the fried shrimp tonight. So, what about you?"

Syrus caressed his own left cheek. "I'm not sure. Sushi's nice, but I've had it far too much."

"Well, you can have the vegetable tempura," said Jaden, pointing at the bottom of the appetizers section.

"Hmm…maybe I will—"

"Hey! Look at _this_! Chicken wings!"

"Um…they're not an appetizer."

"I'm looking in the entrées, Sy."

The little Truesdale "Oh'd" and began skimming the new section.

Then, like the Yuki child, he licked his lips. The entrées definitely looked delicious; the little pictures on the side apparently influenced his appetite further. But which to choose?

Suddenly, he frowned.

"We should share."

"Come again?" Jaden peaked his big eyes above his menu.

"Jaden, for a long time, we always have different meals," said Syrus. "We never have the opportunity to share. Whenever we _do_ share, the meals are always the same."

"So what're ya sayin'?" puzzled Jaden.

"I'm saying we should share our different meals tonight," said Syrus.

Jaden finally got it. "Like some of those restaurants that serve on a platter instead of individual plates, right?"

"Exactly," replied Syrus.

Jaden pondered for a moment.

"All right." A smile broke on his lips, and he looked back in his menu. "So, what d'ya want as your entrée?"

Syrus hummed. "I'm not sure."

"Maybe pork buns?"

"Where?"

"On the bottom of the menu."

Syrus's eyes trailed to the "pork bun" at the bottom of the page. "Have you tried them yet?"

"No. You?"

Syrus shook his head.

"So we'll have that, then," said Jaden. "Hmm…the others don't quite interest me anymore."

"Me, neither," agreed Syrus.

A minute later, a waiter (oddly enough, Principal Sheppard in a black suit and matching top hat) arrived and jotted the order: cold – not spicy – sesame noodles in peanut butter sauce and vegetable tempura for appetizers and an order of steamed pork buns for the main course. As guaranteed, both Syrus and Jaden shared the appetizers, and they both agreed that the food was good. Once they finished, the steamed pork buns arrived. They was enormous and crispy, but nevertheless _delicious_ and filling!

"Look at all the people, Syrus," said Jaden and ate a bit of his bun.

Syrus turned his head about and noticed everyone smiling and laughing. He even saw Chazz Princeton chuckling genuinely with a couple of other Slifers and "sharing" some of his ramen to what might be perceived as the invisible man sitting on his cozy left shoulder.

A sigh escaped him. It was so great to see everyone feeling happy instead of terrified or brainwashed or whatever that cursed Duel Academy since his and Jaden's arrival.

Speaking of Jaden…

"Hey!" he cried and grabbed the last pork bun (which sat in the Chinese steamer) with his chopsticks.

"Oh, c'mon, Syrus," complained Jaden; his chopsticks held tightly onto the steamed bun, too.

"No fair, Jaden!" said Syrus and (feebly) attempted to wrench the bun away from Jaden's strong grasp. "I suggested we share, so honor me and give me…this…bun."

"No way, Syrus!" Jaden grunted. "Ya know how much I'm always hungry."

"Why? You've had two buns already!"

"So do you, but they're deflated."

"But…couldn't you…just…" grunted Syrus; then, he pointed. "Hey, look! It's Fred Flintstone!"

"Where?!" Jaden cried out and looked behind him.

_Good,_ Syrus thought evilly and began tugging the bun.

But he should've known better than that.

Jaden retained his hold on the food, too.

And try as he might, the poor cyan-haired kid could not have…that…bun—

_**POP!**_

_Aha_!

_**Swoop!**_

_**Clang!**_

"Aw, nuts!"

"Uh-uh-uh." The brown-haired Slifer wagged his free index finger.

And then…

"Hey, Sy, look! Pharoah has to clean something!"

"Ha! Yeah, right," replied Syrus, ignoring Jaden's finger-pointing. "You just want to distract me so _you_ can eat this bun!"

"No, I'm serious!" insisted Jaden while still pointing. "Look, look!"

Syrus sighed; at last, he looked back.

Pharoah really was cleaning something… Specifically, he was taking care of "big business."

Hmm… Interesting. Pharoah, the CEO, was taking care of his General Manager and two employees…

Except…the two "employees" were missing…

Wait!

If Syrus couldn't believe his eyes before, he really couldn't believe them now.

But this guy… He looked very familiar. Syrus was not sure who he was, but something in the back of his mind screamed out, stomped, and swore for him to try to darn _remember_!

At last, he did—

"Thaaaaank you."

Syrus turned around and gasped; Jaden hovered the bun above his mouth.

He had been duped.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

Crying loudly, he lunged as much as he could. He couldn't let Jaden eat that bun. No way would he allow it! Never!

Now…if he could…reach…it.

**_Plick…_**

Got it!

Jaden looked up in surprise. Syrus – now on the table – got in between him and his bun _again_!

Now he was getting desperate…

And then, there was a tussle.

With a pull, Syrus wrenched the bun out of Jaden's hand.

"Oh, no, you don't!" called Jaden and poked the bun with his chopsticks again.

The brown-haired Slifer then pulled back swiftly… Suddenly, and somehow, Syrus was pulled, too, and he flew high in the air, shouting from shock and delight. He loved the thought of "flying," but the bun was at stake.

Still, he used his newfound "power" to his advantage, for he began hovering above Jaden. Apparently, the fact that his chopsticks were stuck on the bun gave him extra abilities.

But that did not meant he could not have a little fun—

"En guarde!"

"Heh! You wish, Sy," laughed Jaden, who made another pull, but Syrus slid his chopsticks down to block it.

Syrus pulled the bun towards him again, but was unsuccessful. Then the bun was dropped, but it plopped onto the steamer; yet, Syrus remained hovering in the air. What followed was clashing of chopsticks – up, then down, left, up, right, and up again. Then, Syrus let himself land on the table, clashed with his foe's chopsticks again, and somersaulted. He found himself adjacent to the bun, and seizing the opportunity, he grabbed it with his chopsticks.

"Ha!" Syrus cried out and cackled. "Now you're mine!"

Someone tapped his shoulder, and he turned around.

"Boo."

"AHH!"

He jumped and fell on his back; the bun spun in the air, and then, Jaden snatched it.

But Syrus was not going to give up _that_ easily.

Popping up like a speedy blue hedgehog jumping on a spring, his sticks clashed with his friend's. And once more, he found himself hovering above Jaden and his beloved pork bun. Suddenly, they each pulled in the opposite direction. But this was one stubborn piece of food. Like rubber, it pulled the two humans together, making them crash and fall on top of each other.

"Whew!" sighed Syrus a moment later and wiped his forehead with his free left hand. "All that for one little bun."

"Still, it's a lot o' fun," smiled Jaden and gave a small chuckle. "…Say, where is it, anyway?"

They moved their heads around.

"I don't see it," replied Syrus.

"Me, neither," said Jaden.

**_Plop…_**

But not for long…

"Hey, it's on your head!"

"Wha?"

Syrus's big, gray eyes looked above. He couldn't see anything, but he did feel a little bit of extra weight on top of his head. Certainly, this was the bun. He just knew it!

But just as he reached for it…Jaden grabbed it instead (again, with chopsticks), and Syrus cried out, "Hey!" in response.

"Well, like I say, I've got a big stomach," said the Slifer Red student and licked his lips. "And, boy, I'm starvin'."

"No way, Jay!" retorted Syrus, getting up. "That's mine!"

"Ya think so?" Jaden said. "Then let's duel to see who gets it."

But today was not a day for dueling, unfortunately, for chopsticks banged again. First, the arms went up, then diagonally upward, followed by right, up, and left. Next, they went diagonally downward.

"Aw, c'mon, Syrus," pleaded Jaden. "Why couldn't you just give me the bun? Don't ya hear my stomach? It's saying, 'Feed me'!"

"That's your stomach saying, 'Man, I'm stuffed,'" corrected Syrus; the last three words were said with a belch. "Excuse me."

Jaden laughed. "You're excused."

"Thanks. Now please give me the bun."

"I've told you, Syrus," said Jaden and made a jolt with his sticks, which was blocked. "I'm hungry. I can't _survive_ without this bun."

"Well, this bun is my beloved," argued Syrus. "I need it to be satisfied."

Following his words, he motioned his arm to the left, and the surprised Jaden was caught in a big bind, his right shoulder bending behind him. Now, Jaden knew immediately that Syrus had no intention of injuring him…but goodness gracious, he couldn't bare to have his shoulder locked this way!

So, he did the only thing to save him.

_Get…OFF!_

He threw his arm over his shoulder.

**_CRACK!_**

Gasps.

And a loud, sickening cracking sound.

Jaden's chopsticks had snapped.

**_CRASH!_**

He whipped his head left and saw Syrus's body and legs trying to squirm from a vase.

"Syrus!" He ran over to him and grasped onto the vase. Then, with one tug, he pulled Syrus free. "Syrus, are you okay? I'm so sorry."

Syrus sighed and dusted himself off, his chopsticks missing. "I'm all right. Don't worry about it. Sorry about your arm. I guess I got carried away."

"Me, too," said Jaden. "Where's the pork bun?"

Two big heads bobbled up, down, left, and right; but no luck. The bun had vanished.

"There it is!" Syrus called and pointed at the pork bun, which flew high in the air and was disappearing from view. But before he could run after it, Jaden held him back. "What?"

"Instead of fighting for it, we should do it differently," he told him.

"But if we duel, then it'd be too late," retorted Syrus.

"No, not dueling," said Jaden and made a competitive face. "We'll run to catch it, and whoever catches it can eat it. Deal?"

Syrus immediately agreed, and with that, they began running.

The chase started slowly, as the pork bun was very high up and very far away from them. Nonetheless, the two duelists were determined to catch up as fast as their feet would let them.

This slow pace slightly disappointed Jaden. With all this dueling experience and adventures over the years, he was sure his feet would be used to running around and escaping the bad guys (that is, if he wanted to run). And even though this did not involve Duel Monsters, this chase was still fun. So win or lose, he would not regret this brief, playful tug o' war.

Speaking of Syrus, like Jaden, he was not going to give up on the chase for the prize. He worked too hard for it, and it would be insulting for him to just quit like that… Since becoming friends with Jaden, he had become a better person. No longer was he doubtful – or _that_ doubtful – of himself. With friends like Jaden and the others, he could take his confidence and push it beyond to what he dreamt of…

Soon, they found themselves closer and closer to the pork bun. It was still high in the air, but it was much more visible now—

Oh, no! The bun started diving and _fast_! If it touched the ground, then _neither_ could eat it. They have to run faster if either have the right to chomp down on it.

Now, if their legs could _go_ faster, problem solved…but they couldn't—

Wait a minute.

Why did sudden streaks of color trail behind them? Jaden's was light brown and Syrus's was baby blue? How could this happen? It didn't make any sense. (Then again, what did?)

And this burst of energy… They felt stronger and quicker.

Well, why waste this opportunity?

So they ran a little harder, and immediately, they started running faster and faster. Now the bun was even closer…but it was still out of reach. Any minute now, it was going to hit the ground, forever contaminating it. They must think of _something_ and quickly!

And someone did.

Syrus jumped up, landed on Jaden's shoulders, and immediately pushed off him, making a desperate dive for the food. He did not care if he got hurt. As long as he ate that bun, he would be happy. And he yelled out in anticipation.

Ugh! C'mon, c'mon. Reach out, Syrus! Reach out! He was so close! He could not lose his loved one. Otherwise, how would he be "satisfied"?

Got it!

The bun landed on his tongue, and he pulled it into his mouth. Now he had to swallow it.

There he went…

Yes! He did it! The bun was his at last. What was better was that he beat Jaden! No, it was not a duel, but it was a win, anyway.

Finally, Syrus was with his beloved. No longer would he be separated from her.

_Ever_.

**_CRASH!_**

Consequently, he found himself trying to squirm out of, yet, another vase.

Yep, his fight was worth it, all right.


End file.
